The Conquest
by L-woods
Summary: telemachus achieves courage


Book 15.5: The Conquest  
  
Starting at line 556 and ending with line 557  
  
As the rose-red fingers of Dawn brought on a new day, Telemachus awoke abruptly with having a dream. He envisioned himself on an island and somehow winning courage, which he lacked, to face his father for the first time after twenty years. At that instant the ship's mast began to split down the middle. Telemachus told the captain to steer the ship to the nearest island immediately. They landed on the most beautiful island that they had ever seen. They saw white beaches that stretched for miles long, thousands of palm trees, exotic fruits, crystal clear water that glittered in the sunlight, and the atmosphere that it was always summer and there was never a cloudy day.  
  
When they got off their ship, little people who looked like a Picasso painting greeted them. Each person was a different color of the rainbow with extravagant clothing. Telemachus greeted them and explained their current situation, that their ship was broken and needed a place to stay while they fixed the damage. The king of these people, gold-hearted Mystical, was very understanding and gave all the crew a place to sleep and welcomed them to stay as long as they needed and in their honor had a feast that evening.  
  
At dinner, Telemachus took the gold-hearted king aside and asked him about their culture. "What is the name of this island, what are your people called, and can you please tell me about this place," asked Telemachus. The king responded, "You are on Sparkle Island, the only island in all of the world to possess the clearest, bluest, water that glitters. My people are called The Summers, because the island is summer all year round. We live off the special tropical fruit that grows specifically on the island, as well as the harvesting that we produce ourselves."  
  
"That is very interesting," Telemachus responded. They both went back to the feast and enjoyed the warm welcome of their new friends. In the middle of the feast, the black- hearted Gothamus burst into the elegantly decorated dining room. Telemachus, unaware as to who this thing was, cringed in his chair. The king sitting next to him, told him not to worry as he approached the monster.  
  
"Gothamus, what is it that you want now," asked the king. "Can't you see that we have guests and are in the middle of a feast?"  
  
"You know why I am here, I am surprised that you haven't informed your new friends of their mission here on the island," the black-hearted monster answered.  
  
At this moment, Telemachus felt like a mouse caught in a trap that had no escape and had met its sudden doom by being lured in by the fragrant aroma of cheese. He was speechless and the monster approached him ever so silently.  
  
"Be prepared weakling, for tomorrow you will meet your doom for sure," Gothamus said. Telemachus on the other hand had no response to this, only the goose bumps on his body, his quivering lips, and chattering teeth. At that the black-hearted monster departed leaving the gold-hearted king time to talk to Telemachus.  
  
Mystical took Telemachus by the hand, like a loving father to a small child, and led him into the courtyard of his castle. "You tricked me," yelled Telemachus. "You are a liar, and a con- artist. Why were you disguising your true identity from me?"  
  
The king responded, "You are overreacting, my boy. I was only sheltering you from the evil monster that inhabits this island that is not suited for him. He is jealous of our culture, because he lives all alone about one hundred miles away on the far west side. He does so because he used to be one of us, but he killed one of our people so I turned him into that and sent him far away. He now takes revenge on us through any newcomers who venture here on the island."  
  
"You still should have told me about this earlier, but anyway what kind of revenge was he talking about to me earlier this evening?" asked Telemachus.  
  
"I am so glad you asked. He is so courageous because every time a newcomer comes to the island he asks them a riddle. If they get it right, which no one has done before, he gives them courage, and if they fail, which all have done so far, he gives them all the courage that he possesses," responded the King.  
  
Right then and there Telemachus understood his dream, this was where he was going to receive his courage to face his father. The only thing he was concerned with was that everyone else before him has failed.  
  
Telemachus explained to the king, "I don't think I can go through with this, I mean everyone else has failed before me and I bet I am going to fail as well. I might as well forget about going home and seeing my father, the great Odysseus. I might as well think about how I am going to escape this miserable life that I live. My crew could go on without me or they could stay here with you. All I know is that I am not good enough to do anything. I never have and I never will. I am too inferior to get rid of the suitors plaguing my house, as well as find out any information about my father. I have made up my mind, I am going to quit before I lose the miniscule amount of courage that I possess and go home disappointed with myself. I don't think that I can take any more disappoint right now."  
  
Mystical exclaimed, "That's not the attitude to have my dear boy. You have to be strong, energetic, and positive. You have to have the attitude knowing that you are the best and that you are going to dominate, not fail, but succeed and go home the most courageous man in all of Greece. If your father was here right now he would tell you the same things."  
  
With hearing the name of father, Telemachus said, "You're right, I am going to succeed tomorrow, what was I thinking before? I am going to prove to Gothamus that I can answer his riddle and go home lacking fear. I am going to show him that he doesn't scare me. I have the attitude and mindset that I am the best and that I can't lose, I am going to answer the riddle and when I do I am going to win it for myself and then I will be able to face my father without fear. Thank you king and loving king. If I had another father I would want him to be just like you." With that both embraced and went hand in hand to bed.  
  
Once more Dawn, with her rose-red fingers rose to greet a new day. Telemachus awoke strong and confident of success. When he went down to see the gold-hearted king, he wished him luck as he ventured out to the spot where he would meet his match.  
  
After walking for three hours he came to the place where the beautiful island of Sparkle met the black world of Gothamus. He walked into his cave and found him inside eating his breakfast. "I'm ready, and nothing you say is going to stop me," said Telemachus.  
  
"We'll see when you hear my riddle, you foolish boy," the black- hearted monster replied.  
  
"Let's get this over with, so I can go home full of courage, and I can leave you sitting here courage-less and without anything to do about it," Telemachus said.  
  
"So be it, here is the riddle, what walks on all four in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three at night," Gothamus said.  
  
Telemachus thought and thought, but after ten minutes of thinking he had his answer.  
  
"Okay, I have my answer," he said.  
  
"Let's hear it, I would be amazed if you got it right."  
  
"The answer is man," Telemachus said.  
  
For a second the monster stood dumbfounded. He couldn't believe it someone had actually gotten the riddle right. He told Telemachus that he was right. Telemachus was overjoyed. He took his courage, which he had rightfully won and went back to the shining palace of the king.  
  
When he returned to the castle he showed the King his courage and the king embraced him and congratulated him with a hero's feast. Telemachus was so proud of himself and of his accomplishment. After all of that work he realized that he didn't need the courage after all, he had it in his heart all along.  
  
The following morning they prepared to set sail for Ithaca. Their ship was fixed and Mystical and the summers gave them provisions for their way home. Mystical also gave Telemachus a special gift, a sword embedded with all sorts of precious stones which his father had given him, this sword sealed their friendship forever, and with parting words and a tearful goodbye they were off. Telemachus a changed man had now possessed a gift he never knew he had and became a better person because of it. He couldn't wait to see his father and tell him everything that had just happened. With that Telemachus went to sleep by the light of the moon and starry sky. 


End file.
